Studio Schools officially announced by Schools Secretary

The first wave of Studio Schools have been formally announced by Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls. Studio Schools, which offer an innovative new curriculum involving practical learning and paid work, will open at six sites across the country from September 2010.

The schools have been designed by Edge and the Young Foundation, acting through the Studio Schools Trust, and have been developed in partnership with the Department for Children, Schools and Families. They are the first of their kind in the world and will cater for 14-19 year olds from a range of abilities. They have been designed to better suit the needs of young people who might not otherwise reach their full potential in traditional school environments.

Studio Schools in Blackpool, Kirklees, Luton, Newham, Oldham and South Tyneside will open from September 2010.

Studio Schools have been informed by extensive research and best practice from Britain and around the world. With a focus on business and enterprise, they will look and feel more like a business than a school. Students will participate in a range of enterprise activities, learning the majority of the curriculum through practical multi-disciplinary learning and participating in paid work. On leaving their Studio School, students will have a range of progression routes available to them including the potential to go to university.

Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, said,
“Studio Schools offer students the opportunity to get the skills and qualifications they need through a more practical approach. There are lots of students who will learn better though developing their natural interest in business or practical skills rather than spending most of their time sitting in a traditional classroom.

“These first two schools will also provide a model for other studio schools to develop across the country, by demonstrating how they can help to raise standards and offer new opportunities for young people.”

Simon Tucker, Chair of the Studio Schools Trust, said,
“Studio Schools are at the forefront of innovation in British education. They will offer a bold new approach to learning better suited the needs of the significant number of young people in the country who are more practical learners. We hope that these first six schools will only be the start, marking the beginning of a much larger Studio Schools movement.”

Geoff Mulgan, Director of the Young Foundation, said,
“Studio Schools will break new ground in the British education system, offering a more practical approach to learning that will transform communities and make a real difference to the lives of young people across the country. I am delighted that the first wave of Studio Schools are set to open in the coming years. This is the culmination of a great deal of important work by the Young Foundation, Edge and many others.”

Andy Powell, Chief Executive of Edge, said,
“There are many paths to success and Studio Schools will offer a new route for young people who are looking for a more practical approach to learning. Studio Schools will provide an invaluable new option for young people who find the current academically focused education system disengaging. We know that there is a real need for this provision and we look forward to seeing many more Studio Schools open in the future.”